The Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, has offered a geo solution of raising a six-meter seawall along the five km of Uppada coast.
The Department of Transport, Roads and Buildings has submitted ₹176-crore proposal to the State government to build a seawall with a five-layer geo material for the protection of the Uppada coast from erosion.
A plan has been chalked out to prevent the coastal erosion, after the 1,463-meter length of geo-tube installed in 2010 was completely broken due to tidal waves and erosion during the two cyclones - Vardah (2016) and Fani (2019).
P. D. Vijaya Kumar, Superintendent Engineer, Department of Transport, Roads and Buildings (DTRB-East Godavari district), told The Hindu that the CWPRS experts have recommended use of the geo equipment that costs ₹176 crore to build a wall along the coastline at Uppada to prevent soil erosion. In early June, the proposal was submitted to the State government.
In February, the CWPRS carried out a one-week study on the Uppada beach profile, tidal waves, and its strength.
DTRB Divisional Engineer V. Srinivas said: “The CWPRS experts’ solution is to build a protection wall with five layers -- geo fabric, tube, sand, stone belt, and concrete layer. The State government is likely to take a final call on the proposal by early August.”
IIT-Madras plan
Mr. Srinivas said the IIT-Madras offered another solution that costs ₹211 crore. It was also submitted to the State government. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy recently reviewed the two proposals.
Delay in the protection of this patch of the Uppada coastline will lead to further erosion of the coast.